(CINCINNATI, Ohio)—Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine announced a settlement today with Change-My-Address.com, Change-of-Address.us, parent company Form Giant LLC, and its President, Matthew Riley. Consumers nationwide, and as many as 16,000 in Ohio, are entitled to refunds from the Cincinnati internet-based business that offers change of address services. A $3 million dollar national refund pool has been established.
“We are holding businesses that violate Ohio’s consumer protection laws accountable,” said Attorney General DeWine. “This company deceived consumers into thinking they were paying one dollar for the change of address service, when in reality, they were charged much more.”
After finding Change-My-Address.com/Change-of-Address.us on search engines such as Google, consumers would click on the company website, believing it was the United States Postal Service (USPS) change of address service. USPS charges only $1 for change of address services. When the consumer filled out the appropriate address and forwarding information and clicked “continue” to complete the transaction, he or she was taken to the page requesting payment information. The company programmed the payment information page so that it automatically jumped down to the middle of the page where the credit card information was requested. The top of the payment page was deliberately obscured, which, if manually scrolled to the top stated, “To prevent fraudulent address changes and to cover the cost of processing and handling, you authorize us to charge your credit or debit card a one-time $19.95 fee.”
The Defendants furthered the scheme by creating the impression on the website that the cost of services would be limited to the $1 charge assessed by the USPS for address changes. The disclosure at the top of the landing page stated that the consumer would be assessed, “a one dollar processing fee charged by the USPSfor submitting an online address change request that must be paid with a valid debit or credit card.” Many consumers believed they would only be charged $1 for services, and only learned of the $19.95 charge when it showed up on his or her billing statement. Later, the Defendants raised the price and some consumers paid as much as $29.95.
The Defendants refused to refund the full amount charged when consumers contacted them to complain.
The Ohio and Washington attorneys general each filed lawsuits under their state consumer protection laws in 2013 against the Defendants. The states’ settlements provide relief for consumers nationwide, regardless of their state of residence.
Overview of the settlement
Change-My-Address.com and Change-of-Address.us have agreed to:
- Provide up to $3 million in refunds disbursed among all affected consumers nationwide
- Disclose the actual full change of address service charge
- Disclose that they are not affiliated with the USPS
- Pay attorney costs and fees
Consumers to receive a full refund
The Defendants are required to email all consumers who haven’t already received a full refund.
The email, which must be sent by approximately May 24, 2014, will contain a notice of the ability to make a claim for a refund minus the $1 that was paid by the Defendants for the USPS postal service address change. The email will also include instructions on how to file a claim and the time in which the claim must be filed. Consumers have until August 7, 2014 to file a claim for a refund after receiving notice.
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Additional Information:
Copy of Settlement
Media Contacts:
Lisa Hackley: 614-466-3840
Eve Mueller: 614-466-3840